Preparing



UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

HELEN M. SNYDER, OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

PREPARING, PAINTING, AND MOUNTING PHOTOGRAPI-IIC PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,955, dated October 4, 1881. Application filed February 8, 1881. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HELEN M. SNYDER, of Pine Pluff, Jeflerson county, Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Preparing, I Painting, and Mounting Photographic Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce 001- ored photographic pictures mounted on plain or curved surfaces, and superior in the respect of appearance and durability to pictures produced heretofore.

In carrying out my invention an essential step is to render the pictures perfectly and uniformly transparent. This has heretofore been attempted by the use of oil and glycerine, and also by the immersion of the picture in paraffine after sealing it on glass; but such pictures are not uniformly transparent. At the same time I render the picture pliable, so that it may be sealed to a convex or concave surface without injury. Another step is in sealing the picture to the glass or other surface. This has been done with gum or rosin combined with wax on a flat surface; but such pictures turn yellow. Starch, albumen, and other substances have also been used; but with those there is great difficulty in excluding bubbles. I further aim to paint the picture so that when finished the colors shall be brilliant and'durable. I prepare the surface of the transparent paper for receiving the paint and use either plain or albumenized paper, and the painting can be done before or after the paper is made transparent.

My process is as follows: To render the picture transparent I first saturate it with paraffine by immersion. This is accomplished by heating a vessel containing paraffine over a fire or by placing in another vessel containing water, and then immersing the picture in the melted paraffine, which has the effect to render the picture partially transparent. The printis then allowed to cool, and is next placed in a vessel containing lukewarm water, and the Water gradually heated until the paint is rendered pliable and entirely transparent. If the first immersion and heating is not suflicient,

the operation is to be repeated. Care should be taken that the water is not too highly heated.

- paper.

With soft qualities of paraffine a temperature of about 100 Fahrenheit is sufficient; but with harder paraffine from 126 to 128 ofheat is required. The glass to receive the picture is warmed and coated with paraffine. The picture laid upon it is also coated with paraffine,

of the paper is sealed with the plain side of plain side of the paper is sealed with its back to the glass, so that in either case the picture shall not be next to the glass. The painted back is then coated with white lead or glue.

The first-named picture-that is, the one on the albumenized surface-I prepare for painting or coloring by coating with a mixture ofone part albumen, six parts water, and four or five drops of glycerine to a table-spoonful of the water and albumen. This mixture is beaten together, allowed to settle, and then decanted, and the clear portion used for coating the picture. When the coating is dry the picture is to be painted with water-colors mixed with gum-arabic or dextrine.

I prepare the second picture-that is, the one on the plain side of the paper-by coating it with a solution of soft gelatine or the harder forms-such as isinglass or white glue-conglass. If the color is notstrong enough more can be added on the back, a coating of gelatine being first put on or a little white soap added to the paint. Another method can be used to deepen the color-that is, a duplicate The picture on the albumenized side picture colored and mounted on card-board can be secured behind the picture. If the picture is sealed on convex or concave glass, a second glass can be used for the same purpose. These pictures, printed on plain paper, painted, and then rendered transparent, maybe further treated and painted in a manner similar to the picture printed on the plain side of albumen paper.

The painting or coloring of the transparent pictures may be accomplished byother methods. For instance, an albumen picture rendered transparent may be sealed on glass, the glass painted on the back, and the glass and paint covered with a coat of white lead and gelatine. The colors I use are transparent water-colors, which give a better result than oil-colors. The picture may also be temporarily sealed face down to porcelain or white glass, then prepared and painted on the back, removed by warming, and then sealed to porcelain, card-board, or other surface.

The advantages ot'this process, briefly stated, consist in the superior transparency and beauty of the pictures produced, their permanency, freedom from bubbles and discoloration, their brilliancy of color, the opportunity that is given for artistic work when the picture is painted on the face, and the perfection with which the picture can be sealed to curved surfaces.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent 1. The process described, which consists in first immersing a photographic picture in melted paratfine and allowing it to remain until it becomes translucent; secondly, removing and allowing it to cool; and, thirdly, immersing it in warm water which is gradually increased in temperature, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The process described, which consists in first heating the glass support, then coating it with paraffine, next rubbing it with a soft pad, and then applying the picture, treated as above described and claimed, to the glass while both are in a heated condition, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The herein-described process of preparing and mounting photographicpictures, consisting of the following steps: first, saturating the picture by immersion in melted paraffine; second, heating by immersion in hot water to render the picture pliable and transparent; third, attaching the picture to heated glass coated with paratfine; and, fourth, rubbing down the picture while kept warm, substantially as described.

HELEN MARIA SNYDER.

Witnesses L. T. WEAVER, WM. McGHrn. 

